


Only Fooling Myself

by januarylily



Category: One Tree Hill
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-22
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-09-19 06:41:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9422882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/januarylily/pseuds/januarylily
Summary: Sydney James has played basketball almost her entire life. The only problem is that Tree Hill High never has enough girls for a Lady Ravens' team. Playing on the Rivercourt just isn't enough for Sydney. She needs more than that and will do almost anything to find an actual team to play on. •Slowburn Lucas/OC story.• Repost.





	1. Chapter 1

Sydney sat on the hard bleachers with her head in her hands in the near empty Whitey Durham Field House. She nervously drummed her fingers against her cheeks, tapping out the rhythm to Jingle Bells. There were only two other girls lounging on the bleachers below. Both of them were new to Tree Hill and probably didn't know any better-that Tree Hill was home of "The Ravens" boys basketball team and that no one,seemingly including God, cared if there was a ladies' basketball team.

Coach Lemmens stood in the middle of the gym floor dribbling a basketball. He must have drawn the short straw. Being the new-guy meant he had to try his best to put together a Lady Ravens basketball team—or what was supposed to be the team. But just like the past two years, there was hardly any interest in a team. It was rather pathetic for a town that loved basketball so much that they couldn't manage a single girls' team.

This was the third time Sydney was put in this position. Due to a lack of participants, she hadn't been able to play for a team neither her freshman nor her sophomore years and it looked like the scenario was going to play exactly the same for her junior year. How the hell was she supposed to get a basketball scholarship if she couldn't play for an organized team? She knew that she was good enough to get a scholarship. She just knew it. She had been playing basketball every day with her friends and could hold my own against them, which was even more impressive considering most of them boys averaging six feet compared to her five foot four stature.

But maybe it was for the best that there wasn't a Lady Ravens team. If Tree Hill did manage to get enough girls for a team, it was fairly obvious that all the money would go to support the boys' team because of favoritism and they way it had always been done. It just wasn't fair. Although, it never was.

In the corner of her eye, Sydney caught Coach Durham open the doors into the gym and tap his wrist toward Coach Lemmens. The younger coach sighed and nodded his head knowingly before slowly walking back toward the reject girls on the bleachers. Everyone already knew the message he was going to deliver.

"Well, ladies, it looks like this is the end of the line. There doesn't seem to be an enough interest from the female student body for a Lady Ravens team this year. Better luck next year," Coach Lemmens sighed as he continued to dribble the basketball at his side, without even glancing down at it.

The two new girls didn't seem too broken-up over the fact. They just looked at each other, shrugged and walked for the door. Coach Lemmens noticed that Sydney still hadn't moved from her spot on the top of the bleachers. He offered her a half smile to which she responded by rolling her eyes. Sydney then stood up and angrily walked down the bleachers, stopping right in front of him.

"What am I supposed to do? I'm a junior," Sydney questioned as she slung her backpack over her shoulder.

He looked down at the ground for a moment, pondering the right words to say before he looked back up at the young girl in front of him.. "Next year you'll be a senior, Sydney. You have a whole year to recruit some more girls for a team."

"I've been trying for two years to recruit and it doesn't work. This isn't fair. I have rights you know."

Coach Lemmens nodded his head knowingly. "Take it up with a higher authority, Syd."

Sydney folded her arms across her chest. "Who? Jesus?" she asked sarcastically.

He chuckled under his breath and shook his head before responding, "I was thinking more along the lines of Principal Turner or the school board. My hands are tied Sydney. I can't do anything with three girls when everyone else in our conference plays with five."

"I'm sure there are a few on the boys' team who could play for us," Sydney muttered.

"Sydney, I'm sorry. I really am. We'll try again next year."

The junior girl rolled her eyes before she stormed away from Coach Lemmens with a flip of her dirty blonde ponytail. She could see Coach Durham, the boys' coach leaning in the doorway with his boys waiting to get in the gym. It was utterly ridiculous that he had scheduled a practice when there was supposed to be a girls' practice.

Sydney glared icily at the old man as she walked toward him. After crossing the gymnasium floor, she stopped directly in front of Coach Durham. He nodded his head at her, but Sydney kept her head held high. "I've watched your boys play before. I'm just as good, if not better than most of them...and yet, because they have an added appendage, they can play ball. You may have won this battle, but you aren't going to win the war."

"Didn't know we were fighting," was all Coach Durham said before he walked past Sydney and into the gym. Sydney groaned before Coach Durham stopped and turned around. "But thanks for making me aware, Miss James."

The James girl rolled her eyes as the boys walked past her, mocking her as they went. Of course, Tim Smith couldn't help himself and he stopped in front of her. Sydney turned to walk away, but Tim sidestepped her, literally cornering her. She tried to keep a brave face as Tim's best friend, Nathan Scott made no attempts to stop his friend. Sydney watched as Nathan walked away from the situation but Tim grabbed her by the chin and turned her face toward him. "Well, well, look who we have here."

"I just see the idiot in front of me," Sydney retorted as she swatted his hand from her chin. "Now, if you'll excuse me, but I need to go. So move."

"Aw, c'mon, Syd-we're just having us a little talk."

"Only my friends get to call me Syd and I would never be friends with an idiot like you."

Sydney stepped forward to leave, but Tim put his hand up and placed it on her shoulder, holding her back. "Hold on now. Don't be like that. It ain't gonna change the fact that it's another year without a Lady Ravens basketball team."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious. Your intelligence astounds me. Now get out of my way before I have to resort to desperate and despicable measures of kicking you in the nuts and give the Lady Ravens another player."

"You wouldn't…"

Sydney raised her eyebrow, daring him to fight her on it, but it was Coach Durham that saved him. "Smith! If you're planning on getting any playing time this year, you will get in my gym…now!" Coach Durham yelled.

Tim backed up a little and Nathan looked around at Sydney for a moment with a stern expression on his face from his spot beneath the basket in the gym. Knowing she had his attention, Sydney raised her fist in front of her. She flicked her middle finger up, rubbing it against her lips like she was putting on lipstick. She then put her middle finger away. Sydney knew she shouldn't have done it, but she did it anyway-thus likely landing her a spot on Nathan Scott's hit-list.

Coach Durham must have witnessed the scene because he walked toward her but before he could say anything Sydney managed to escape-although, she wouldn't be surprised to find a detention slip awaiting her tomorrow.

Angrily, Sydney walked away the school to Karen's Café where her older sister, Haley worked. Haley and Sydney were in the same grade, but they weren't twins. At least, not technically. They were more like "Irish twins" because we were born within eleven months of each other, Sydney being the youngest James' sibling. But because of their close age, Haley and Sydney had always been friends, even at school. At times, they were practically inseparable, but like any siblings, they had their moments when they fought.

Sydney walked into the Karen's Cafe and sat down on a stool at the counter before she slammed my arms against the counter and rested her face against the cool counter. "Something strong please," she groaned.

"Water it is," Haley retorted with a shake of her head. A few moments later she set a glass of water down in front of Sydney and leaned against the counter to talk to her little sister. "Again?" Haley asked knowingly.

"Again. It's just not fair." Sydney slowly sat back up before she scooted the glass closer toward her and puckered her lips around the straw, sipping water.

Haley wiped at the ring of water where the glass had been with a white rag. "While I won't even pretend to understand what you and Luke like about that game; it still sucks that you don't have a team to play on. I mean, if that is what you want."

"How else am I going to get to college, Hales? I'm not Miss Academics like you."

"A's and B's aren't bad," Haley pointed out toward her sister.

"But they're not outstandingly good enough to get a scholarship to a decent school. I need something I'm good at. Basketball is that thing and if I don't have a team, I'm going to end up with nothing. I'll probably end up not being able to go to college and having to work at McDonalds or Walmart for the rest of my life." Sydney looked over her shoulder and winced before adding. "Not that there's anything wrong with working at McDonalds or Walmart...of course."

Haley chuckled at her sister. "Sydney, you are good at things. It will work out. I just know it."

"Well, I'm glad one of us has confidence in me. But if the whole no team thing wasn't bad enough—Tim Smith was a complete douche to me and Nathan Scott just stood by and let him be one. I mean, Tim's a punk but asshole doesn't even begin to describe Nathan."

"Keep it down about Nathan, Luke's in the back."

"It's not like I called him a douche."

"Who's a douche?" Karen Roe asked as she came toward the counter with a plate in each hand. She looked over her shoulder for Sydney to answer as she walked away to set the plates at table of two middle-aged men.

"Boys," Sydney groaned which made Karen chuckle.

"Even me?" Lucas asked, appearing in the windowless window that led back to the kitchen.

"You're the worst," Sydney teased with a grin on her face.

Lucas took a step backward like he had been shot. "That hurts. Right here." He pointed to the place where his heart should be.

Sydney wiped her hands before reaching for a fry on the plate Haley placed in front of her. "Then my job here is done."

"You don't even work here," Haley teased. Sydney responded by popping another fry into her mouth.

"I'm sure Ma'd hire you if you just asked," Lucas said coming to the front before he grabbed his basketball. "You coming, Syd?"

"Yes, Lukey," Sydney responded.

"Do you have to call me that?"

"You used my nickname so I'm using yours."

"But you like your nickname. Besides, Luke is my nickname, you know."

"Not the one I use." Sydney winked at her friend and grinned. "But I suppose we can go back to your fifth-grade nickname…Pukey."

"It was one time. I puked on you one time on accident."

"Probably shouldn't have gone on the Tilt-A-Whirl after downing a funnel cake and slushie, huh?" Well, one doesn't just forget their best friend puking over them. It just isn't possible. It becomes grounds to use as blackmail for the rest of their lives. Isn't that right Pukey? Or do you prefer Pucas?"

Lucas shook his head and opened the door. "Let's go," he groaned. Sydney smirked as she walked past him. "Ma, I'm headed to the Rivercourt before Syd can come up with any more nicknames!"

Sydney gave Lucas a playful punch. "I heard that."

"Hey, easy there. That's my shooting arm," Lucas chuckled, backing away.

"That's the point."

"Well, you're gonna want it in working condition if we're on the same team."

Sydney looked at him. "Chance of us being on the same team aren't likely. Eh-I'm gonna risk it." She then playfully punched him again. But before she could completely withdraw her arm, Lucas caught it with his hand. He then twisted it behind her back so that they were pressed against each other facing forward. Sydney felt a slight blush creep up into her cheeks as she looked up at him. "Uncle?"

Lucas chuckled and released her arm. Sydney then stole the ball from him and began dribbling away from him down the sidewalk. Lucas easily caught up to her and they crossed the street. He tried to steal his ball back from her, but Sydney back to run, dribbling the ball. She weaved in and out of the pedestrians walking on the sidewalk. Causing roadblocks was the only advantage she had on six foot, Lucas whose long legs would easily overtake her in a straight shot breakaway.

They were about halfway to the Rivercourt when Lucas finally managed to steal his ball back. Sydney and Lucas continued their journey side by side at a comfortable pace, Luke dribbling the ball as they walked. "So did I overhear right that there isn't a team again?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah, I just don't get it, though," Sydney responded. "Well, I do—but it's just not fair. I should transfer to the next district over but it would cost my parents too much."

"Our little band of misfits wouldn't be the same without you. Besides, you don't need them."

"Because hanging out with my big sister and her best friend isn't weird."

"So, I'm only Haley's friend now?"

"You were her friends first."

"Because she wasn't too shy to come over and talk to me."

"I'm not shy. I'm reserved…at first...unless you piss me off. Good lord, I'm so complicated I don't even understand myself. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I kinda chewed Coach Durham out a little. I mean, words literally vomited from my mouth, so I'm probably going to have a detention slip awaiting me tomorrow."

"So much for being reserved," Lucas chuckled.

"Hey now, I was a little pissed off. You know that I lose control sometimes when I get like that."

Lucas smiled. "Oh, don't I know it."

Sydney's eyes widened and she gave Lucas a shove. "Jerk."

"But I wouldn't have you any other way." Lucas wrapped an arm around Sydney's shoulder and pulled her close. Sydney felt her face flush a little as she wrapped an arm around Luke's midsection as they approached the court.

"Where the hell you two been?" Skills called from the court. "Almost started without you."

"Let's just shoot for teams," Lucas chuckled releasing his hold on Sydney.

Sydney took the ball from Lucas and walked to the free throw line. She lined up her shot and released the ball. Swish. It went right in, just like she knew it would. Sydney had been playing basketball with this group for years and she had more than earned her spot. Lucas walked over and took the ball back and took a shot. Swish. His shot went in too.

Surveying her friends, Sydney knew that her best chances of winning were to have Lucas on her team. Meaning...she was was going to have to miss a few shots...on purpose. She easily calculated which shots to make and which shots to miss as she stood in line, watching her friends shoot.

By the end of the shooting for teams, her carefully devised plan had worked. Lucas seemed none the wiser about what she had done, but Skills gave her a suspicious look. He knew. Then again, he knew a lot more things than he ever led on. Sydney shrugged at Skills. She brushed it off as simply wanting to better her chances at winning-something she needed after the crapfest at school.

The teams were set. It was Skills, Fergie, and Junk against Luke and Sydney. Jimmy Edwards and Mouth McFadden sat at their make-shift booth, which in reality was a picnic table announcing the game. Everything was ready.

Lucas nodded his head at Sydney before walking to center court to start our pick-up game with a jump ball. Sydney stood behind him, ready for the tip off. In the moment of the calm before the storm, Sydney took in her surroundings. This was where everything felt right. Right there on the basketball court. But she wasn't ever going to get noticed playing ball on the Rivercourt. No, there had to be another way to get onto a team...any team.


	2. Live to Tell

Gossip rippled through the hallways of Tree Hill High School like wildfire as Sydney James attempted to push her way through the sea of teenagers. From the hushed tones, she gathered that most of the boys' basketball team had been suspended for the remainder of the season. That was about the only thing in common with the multiple stories spreading. Sydney heard stories including stealing a bus, getting busted drinking, burning down an old house, and murder. The truth was probably located somewhere in there.

The only surprising thing swirling through the gossip circles was the fact that Nathan Scott apparently hadn't been involved. Sydney didn't really buy it. The boys' basketball team didn't do anything without Nathan Scott nor his approval. If Sydney was a gambler, she would have guessed that he was involved; but that kid had the town wrapped around his little finger. If anyone could get away with murder, it would be Nathan freaking Scott. Just thinking about that kid pissed her off. He was an ass.

But it was more on the basis of principle that she didn't like Nathan-for Lucas' sake. Sometimes it was hard to believe that Lucas and Nathan were brothers...half brothers...but still. They were nothing alike, which was probably for the best. Despite everything, Lucas had probably gotten the better end of the raw deal. Besides, Sydney wasn't even sure that she would be friends with Lucas if Dan stupid Scott had claimed it. Things happened for a reason, right?

Sydney finally managed to force her way through the crowd to her locker when she spotted someone trying to break into it. A guy with dark brown hair dressed in a polo shirt, jeans, and Converse sneakers, but Sydney immediately recognized him from the basketball team. The kid was Jake Jagielski. Really? How low could they sink? She stood up for herself once and they were trying to mess with her locker. Ridiculous. This time Nathan Scott and his loser friends ad gone too far...sending Jake to break into her locker in the broad daylight.

Angrily, Sydney slammed her hand against the locker next to the one the kids was trying to break into. The kid jumped backward and looked at her with a deer-in-the-headlights expression on his face. "What do you think you're doing?" she hissed at him. Jake just blinked slowly, fumbling to come up with anything coherent to say. "Well?" Sydney pressed. 'Who put you put to this?"

"What are you talking about?" Jake questioned with a genuine look of confusion on his face. "Who put me up to what?"

"That's my locker you're trying to break into. It's probably some stupid prank to steal my homework, destroy school property, or something. I want to know who put you up to it. Although, I have a feeling I already know who is behind all of this." Sydney stood there with her eyes narrowed at Jake, her jaw jutting forward, and her arms folded across her chest.

Jake blinked before responding, "This is my locker." He pointed to the number plaque on the locker. 317. Sydney's eyes grew wide and her face immediately began to flush. Her locker was 319. Shit. Shit. Shit.

She quickly moved away from Jake and tried to escape into the sea of teenagers, but she really did need to go to her locker. Reluctantly, she headed back and stopped at the right locker this time. Sydney felt like such an idiot. Feeling rather embarrassed, she banged her head against her locker a few times. She stopped, groaned, and rested her face against the metal hoping that it would keep her cheeks cool from the flames of embarrassment. She made sure to keep her back to Jake, but it didn't help matters when Sydney received a tap on her shoulder. She just knew it was him.

Sydney slowly turned around and attempted to avoid eye contact as he took a few steps closer toward her. "It was an honest mistake," he said.

"You're just trying to be nice," Sydney said, finally managing to look up at him. "I mean, I was such a bitch back there."

"Yeah, you were," he responded bluntly. Recognizing that what he said could have been interpreted as offensive, he put his hands up in defense. "But I-I'm sure you had a perfectly good reason for it."

She just shrugged. "I thought your asshat of a teammate was up to nefarious things. I mean, he gets away with anything and everything. I just thought he was using you to do his dirty work for him."

Jake nodded his head knowingly, leaning against the lockers. "You're talking about Nathan, aren't you?" Sydney nodded her head in response before he continued. "I don't do Nathan's dirty work. I just happen to play for a few minutes a night on the same team he does. That's all."

Sydney raised an eyebrow. "Oh, please. Everyone knows the team does whatever Nathan wants. I mean, just listen for a second."

He closed his eyes and listened the many conversations floating through the hallway. He sighed and then opened his eyes. "Word gets around fast, huh? Well, believe it or not, we're not all like him. Some of us actually manage to maintain our hearts and integrity while playing some basketball."

"And you would happen to be one of those people?

He shrugged his shoulders. "I try to be."

"Good for you."

The warning bell rang. One minute until class started. Jake looked over his shoulder and then back at her. "Probably should get to class."

"Yeah, probably," Sydney responded. He turned to walk away, but she couldn't just let him walk away like that. "Jake!" she called into the hallway. He stopped where he was and turned to look at her. Sydney took a deep breath. "Can we just pretend this never happened? That we forget we talked and go back to living our lives normally?"

Jake shifted his weight on his feet, swinging his backpack over his other shoulder. "If that's what you want." He turned to walk away again, before he looked at her curiously over his shoulder. "Is that what you want?"

For a moment Sydney wasn't sure. But she saw Lucas walking toward her in the hallway. She looked at Jake again and nodded her head. Jake nodded his head and responded "See you around, Sydney," before he disappeared into the throng of those trying to get to class on time. Sydney watched him in confusion. How did he know her name?

Lucas must have noticed her puzzled expression. He stopped in front of Sydney and looked over his shoulder in the direction which Jake walked. "What was that about?" Lucas asked curiously.

"My lips are sealed," Sydney said, but she recognized an almost hurt expression on his face. It wasn't that she didn't trust him. She just didn't care to relive the embarrassment. So, she tried to express as much without going into detail. "You already have enough blackmail material on me to last you a lifetime."

He gave a slight grin. "Then it's only a matter of time before you spill. You're terrible at keeping those kinds of things secret."

Sydney feigned shock and gently punched Lucas in the arm. "I am not."

"Yeah, you are, Syd," he chuckled before motioning down the hallway. "Now, let's get to class before Jaeger gives us detention."

The final bell rang. "Too late," Sydney told Lucas, who just shook his head and pushed her forward by her backpack. She tripped a few steps before she fell into place beside Lucas.

Once they reached Mr. Jaeger's English class, Lucas motioned for Sydney to enter the classroom before him. She did, but she stopped a few feet into the classroom. Luke nearly ran into her, but he noticed the problem immediately too. There was one desk left in the front of the room and one desk in the back, but it was beside Nathan Scott. Sydney and Lucas looked to each other, grimacing. "Take your seats Miss James, Mr. Scott," Mr. Jaeger said from his computer where he was taking attendance.

Lucas looked to Sydney with his fist outstretched. Sydney knew what he wanted-the wanted to play for the better seat. A game of Rock, Paper, Scissors-winner got the seat in the front, the loser took the seat beside Nathan. Sydney nodded her head, despite knowing this was one game which Lucas sucked at. He almost always threw a scissors. Today was no different. Sydney's rock crushed his scissors, but much to Lucas' surprise, Sydney headed for the seat beside Nathan.

"You owe me," Sydney whispered over her shoulder to Lucas before tripping over Nathan's foot that stuck out into the aisle. "Dammit," she hissed before slipping into the desk beside him. While she tried to avoid looking at him, she could see that stupid smirk on his face and she wanted nothing more than to wipe it off his stupid face.

Much to the dismay of his English class, Mr. Jaeger handed out a pop quiz from last night's reading of The Crucible. Sydney slowly exhaled. She had forgotten to read last night, but thankfully Lucas and Haley had filled her in during their walk to school. Those two were better than the Cliff Notes anyway.

Sydney has only answered the first multiple choice question when she caught Nathan Scott glancing her way for the answers. He must have forgotten the reading too, but his friends weren't as intelligent as hers. The thought made her smirk. Sydney then looked over the quiz. There was only one answer she wasn't sure of, but the rest she knew-so she circled the wrong answer for number two. She then proceeded to fill in the wrong answers the rest of the way down the page. But when it came to answer the essay question, she purposely turned her back to Nathan so, he couldn't see it.

On the first line for her essay question, she wrote: Mr. J-Nathan Scott is cheating off me. I hope you'll accept my answers this way. The correct answer for #2 is B, #3 C, #4 A, #5 C, #6 D, #7 A, #8 B, #9 B, #10 B. Then she answered her essay question before walking her quiz to Mr. Jaeger. She set her quiz down on his desk before she looked at her teacher and pointed to her essay question before she walked away.

When Nathan turned in his quiz, Mr. Jaeger asked to see him after class. Sydney smirked to herself. She knew he probably wasn't going to get in too much trouble. Mr. J was a big Ravens Basketball fan, but it still felt good to outsmart Nathan.

After class, Lucas walked Sydney to her locker. She told him about what she had done to Nathan and Lucas just shook his head and leaned against Haley's locker. Haley usually headed straight to the tutoring center after school, not her locker, so he didn't have to worry about needing to move. "You're asking for trouble there," Lucas responded.

"No, I'm asking for an asshole to get what he rightfully deserves," Sydney corrected. "Besides, it was actually kinda fun feeding him the wrong answers."

"Your funeral. So, do you think you'd be up for one last game at the Rivercourt before your untimely death?"

Sydney rolled her eyes as she shoved her math book in her backpack. "Need you even ask?"

"I just wanted to make sure there wasn't anything on your bucket list you needed to cross off first."

Lucas smiled at her and Sydney's heart fluttered as she looked up at him. She bit her bottom lip. There was something else, but she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to voice it...not to him. Feeling a blush creep into her cheeks, she slammed her locker shut before she gave him a little shove to head to his locker.

The Rivercourt boys were waiting near Lucas' locker for them. Together, Sydney walked down to the Rivercourt with Lucas, Skills, Fergie, Mouth, and Jimmy. Junk was going to meet them there. Sydney didn't miss some of the disgusted glances directed toward her. She knew the rumors that went around the school at times because she was friends mainly friends with boys. She tried to ignore it, but sometimes the label slut was frustrating.

A few years back, another girl, Faith, use to play basketball with them, but she had since moved away. This left Sydney as the sole Rivercourt basketball-playing girl these days. It wasn't so bad. The boys treated her as an equal...most of the time. They were known to swoop in and defend her honor every once in awhile.

Sydney smiled as the memory of freshman Homecoming came to mind. Tim Smith had been drunk off his ass. Skills had confronted Dim and punched him on her behalf. After that, they had left the dance and went down to the Rivercourt to play ball in their dance clothes. Of course, the boys had loosened their ties and rolled up their sleeves, while Syd was stuck in her dress and barefoot. After Sydney had gotten her toes stepped on several times, Lucas had suggested that they all play barefoot. That was probably the first time Sydney realized that she had a thing for Lucas. Not that he had ever noticed Sydney in that way. He had his sights set a little higher.

Once they reached the Rivercourt, they dropped their backpacks off near the picnic tables. Lucas, Skills, and Fergie shot around while Sydney helped Mouth and Jimmy set up their booth for their broadcast. And by set up, she helped them move one of the picnic tables so that it had a better line of sight.

When the table was in place, Sydney moved to head to the court, but she tripped over Jimmy's foot and crashed face first into the grass. Jimmy started apologizing profusely as he reached his hand down to help her up. Sydney accepted his sweaty hand while the other boys laughed at her. Once Sydney was standing on her feet again, she flipped the boys off before running onto the court and stealing the ball from Junk, who had just arrived. "What the hell?" Junk asked.

"You should be more careful with your balls," Sydney said with a wicked grin on her face before she stuck her tongue out at Junk.

Junk chuckled and shook his head. "Speaking of balls," he started. "You guys remember Tom Dougan from grade school?"

"Didn't he used to live across the street from you, Syd?" Skills asked.

She nodded her head as she dribbled the basketball in place. "Yeah, but his parents divorced and he ended up with his mom in Pinkerton, I think. Pretty sure he had a crush on me at some point."

"Oh, he did."

"Hey, guys" Junk groaned. "You're interrupting my balls story."

Sydney rolled her eyes before she checked the ball to Junk. "Oh, please. By all means, please proceed. Just what we all need. A story from Junk about some guy's junk."

Lucas covered his mouth with his hand to hide his laugh, but Sydney didn't miss it. Junk just rolled his eyes and continued. "As I was saying, some guy snapped Dougan with a wet towel and he lost one of his testicles." The boys and Sydney groaned, but Junk raised his hands defensively. "Hey, I'm just saying what I heard."

Sydney smirked and looked between Lucas and Skills. "We probably shouldn't tell him what we hear about him, should we?"

"Nah," Lucas responded before shooting the ball. "He can't handle the truth."

Junk looked at them. "What? What did you hear about me?" Sydney shook his head and took off in a sprint. Junk took off running behind her, chasing her to get the information. As Sydney and Junk ran around the court, Mouth and Jimmy commentated on their every move.

The chase lasted until Sydney crashed into Lucas, who was busy staring at a black Mercury Comet driving down the road. Sydney sheepishly backed up, her face blushing, but he wasn't even watching her.

Skills whistled and said, "Peyton Sawyer," before he whistled at Sydney. Sydney turned away and shot one of the basketballs that was rolling on the court. She knew enough about Peyton Sawyer. Well, really, she knew that Lucas had been crushing on that girl for years. She also knew that she would never feel like she was enough compared to Peyton. Sydney's hair wasn't blonde enough, her legs weren't long enough...the list could go on. Recognizing that she was being melodramatic in her thoughts, she shot the ball again. But then again, that's what being a teenager was all about, right?

"Guys, let's just shoot for teams," Sydney said, but it fell on deaf ears as the boys continued to talk about Peyton Sawyer and her being naked on her webcam. The James girl didn't wear jealousy well. She snapped. "Guys!" But again, no one noticed.

Angrily, she slammed the ball to the ground as hard as she could before she walked off the court. That got their attention, but Sydney ignored the boys calling after her. She knew it was immature, but she walked over to the picnic table and grabbed her backpack. "Syd, what's up?" Mouth asked.

"I came here to play ball, not fantasize," Sydney muttered as he slung her backpack over her shoulders and walked away. Lucas attempted to block her path, but she looked up at him with an annoyed expression. "Luke, move," Sydney hissed.

"What's going on?" he asked, clearly confused by her actions.

She wanted to shout at the top of her lung, confessing that she had a crush on him. She wanted him to appear shocked for a moment before he would bend down and kiss her. But that was simply a pipe dream. Instead, she just shook her head and walked away muttering, "homework."

Sydney needed to talk to Haley. She was the one person Syd confessed everything to. Knowing that her sister should be done tutoring and at Karen's Cafe by this point, Sydney headed there. Although, it hindsight, that probably wasn't Sydney's smartest decision, but part of her hoped that Lucas would chase after her like some knight in shining armor. Although, that was never going to happen.

As Sydney opened the door to the cafe, the bell rang announcing her entrance. Karen looked up from some paperwork she had spread over the counter and smiled up at the younger James girl. "Hey, Syd," she said.

"Hey," Sydney responded awkwardly to the mother of her crush-slash-best friend. "Just-uh-gotta-uh-use the bathroom."

Karen looked at her knowingly before she simply shrugged her shoulders and said, "You know where they are."

The younger James girl simply nodded her head before she escaped to the bathroom. Locking the door behind her, she leaned against the sink examining her sweaty appearance in the mirror. She knew how stupid she was being about all of this. There was no reason to be this upset about the situation. Besides, how often did someone actually end up with their high school crush? Hardly ever.

Sydney closed the lid to the toilet and sat down on it when a gentle knock came at the door. "Syd? I know you're in there. Karen said you were here and something seemed off," Haley's voice came from the other side of the door. "Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine, Hales," Sydney responded.

"That doesn't sound very convincing. Where's Luke?"

Sydney was glad her sister couldn't see her eye roll before she responded, "My guess is that he's still at the Rivercourt. That's where I left him."

Haley cleared her throat. "What did he do now?" Haley whispered a little lower.

The younger James sister sighed and walked to the bathroom door. She opened it and looked right at her sister. Sydney folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the doorframe. "Nothing. He did nothing. I-I'm just being stupid and overreacting. You know, the usual."

Haley sighed and nodded her head before glancing at her sister sincerely. "Do you ever plan on telling him?"

Sydney shook her head. "I-I'll get over it-er-him eventually...right?" It was obvious that Haley didn't quite buy it. Sydney sighed. "Honestly, Hales, I'm fine. A little sweaty, but fine."

Haley waved her hand in front of her nose. "You smell a little ripe too." Sydney fell for her sister's trick. She lifted her arm and sniffed her armpits to find that they smelled of deodorant. Sydney glared at her sister who was chuckling. "Gotcha," she laughed.

"Oh? You think you're funny, huh?" Sydney lifted her arm and jokingly tried to shove her smelly pits in her sister's face. Haley squealed and ran away. Sydney grinned and followed after her sister with her arm raised. She chased Haley until they were in the front of the cafe before Karen looked at them curiously. Sydney sheepishly lowered her arm and found a table to sit at and start her homework.

It wasn't much later before Lucas came into the cafe dribbling his basketball. Sydney had tried to escape to the kitchen, careful to avoid his gaze, but he quickly intercepted her and blocked her path to the kitchen. "What happened back there?" Lucas questioned.

Sydney straightened her stance and folded her arms across her chest. "Would you accept a plea of by reason of insanity?" Sydney asked, but Lucas looked at her pointedly. She only had two options out now. Option A was the truth. Option B was much more awkward, but it would distract him. Sydney opted for Option B. "How much detail would you like about feminine issues?"

"None," Lucas said covering his ears with his hands. Sydney smirked. Awkwardness for the win. He must have noticed that I hadn't responded because he removed his hands. "Just don't walk away like that again," Lucas said. "I worry about you." Luke then wrapped his arms around Sydney, enveloping her in a hug.

She practically fell into his embrace. It felt so natural and right. While it was bad enough that she enjoyed being in Lucas' arms, it was probably worse that she couldn't remain mad at him...at least not for long. And worse yet that Lucas knew it. Sydney made sure to release him first, so he wouldn't suspect anything before Haley came out from the kitchen. She looked at me knowingly but said nothing before addressing Luke about sticky magazine pages.

Sydney moved to pack her backpack when Karen asked if she and Haley wanted to stay for dinner. Both James girls agreed. It wasn't anything fancy, just a bowl of chili and a piece of peach pie for dessert, but it was excellent. Karen ad somehow mastered at making the simplest dishes seem like masterpieces.

During dinner, Karen gave Luke a copy of Julius Caesar, which Haley had found. Luke looked genuinely pleased with his gift. As he thanked Haley, the older James sister made an awkward Dawson's Creek reference about a Joey loving Dawson scenario. Sydney blushed knowing the situation all too well. God, having crushed sucked sometimes. The younger James girl focused on eating her chili, not wanting to give herself away.

After dinner, Sydney walked back to the Rivercourt with Lucas. This time they actually were going to play that pick-up game she had been promised. After shooting for teams, they were ready to go. Sydney and Skills were matched against Lucas, Junk, and Fergie. "You wanna get on Luke?" Skills whispered to Sydney with a wink.

Sydney blinked slowly, trying to determine if he had meant it to sound like it came out. Judging from the wink, followed by a smirk, Skills had meant it to sound like that. Sydney shook her head, her ponytail flipping from side to side before she gave Skills a shove. He chuckled as Syd went to guard Lucas.

Skills and Sydney kept the game close. For some time, they were even in the lead, but Sydney found herself distracted by the car parked toward them, the people inside watching. She knew the car belonged to Keith Scott, uncle of Lucas...and technically Nathan too, but it wasn't Keith who was throwing Syd off. No, it was the person sitting in the passenger seat. Coach Durham. What was he doing watching them?

When they took a break for water, Sydney walked over to Lucas and asked, "Why's Keith chauffeuring Coach Durham?"

"Dunno," Lucas responded before wiping sweat from his chin, using the bottom of his shirt, revealing his stomach. Sydney tried to look away as Skills approached them and wrapped his arm around Sydney's shoulder.

"Maybe they're on a date," Skills joked.

Sydney rolled her eyes. "Then why are they watching us?" Skills opened his mouth to say something, but Sydney cupped her hand over his mouth. "Don't even go there," she told him. This made Lucas and the other guys chuckle. She then removed her hand from his mouth.

A throat cleared behind Sydney. She turned to see Jimmy Edwards looking at her. "Hey, Syd, can you step into the booth for a minute?" Jimmy asked.

Skills shook his head. "Dawg, you don't have a booth," he stated, clearing messing with Jimmy, despite the fact that he fully supported his friend.

"Oh shush," Sydney responded playfully pushing Skills away. She then smiled at Jimmy and Mouth. "I'd be more than happy to." Sydney took a swig of her water as she sat down at the picnic table between Jimmy and Mouth. "What's up?" she asked.

Jimmy smiled. "Mouth would like to have a word with you for our halftime show."

"What an honor," Sydney said, resting her hand over the place where her heart should be. Despite knowing that no one was ever going to hear her interview, she didn't have the heart to refuse them. Besides, her friends supported her dreams, so she would support theirs. She smiled at Mouth. "Shoot, Mouth."

"This is Mouth McFadden coming at you with Sydney James. Syd, where did you learn to play basketball?"

"My dad taught me," Sydney stated. "And my older brother, Damien. He played for Tree Hill and the basketball bug bit me."

"You've tried out for the Lady Ravens the last three seasons, but there hasn't been enough participation for a team. What's that been like?"

"Disappointing, especially considering how much this town supposedly loves basketball."

"But you've managed to keep playing. Here on the Rivercourt, with a bunch of guys. How do you feel about being the only girl in an otherwise all-boy game?"

Sydney pondered his question for a moment before she answered, "Basketball is basketball. It doesn't matter who you're playing with or against. It's about the love of the game and I'd like to think that if you love something enough, you don't just let it go. You hold on for dear life to whatever you can possibly get." Sydney looked at Mouth. "Was that alright?" she asked.

Mouth grinned and Jimmy gave her a thumbs up before Skills called for her to get her lazy ass back out on the court. Sydney slowly walked back onto the court. She stopped beside Lucas before looking over her shoulder at the car. Sydney waved and Lucas slapped at her hand. "What?" she asked him before looking back again.

Keith managed a slight wave despite having his hands gripped tightly to the steering wheel. It was almost as if he didn't want them to that he was there, but clearly, the teenagers had noticed.

Sydney shrugged as she moved to get open. Fergie checked the ball to Skills. Sydney broke free of the screen Junk was attempting to set up before Skills passed her the ball. She started to dribble the ball. Within seconds, Lucas had run over to block her from getting to the basket, but Sydney had one advantage: her height, or rather, her lack thereof. She easily slipped under the arm he had raised. Sydney then attempted a jump shot for three points.

Swish. The shot was good. Sydney pumped her fist into the air as Skills shouted, "That's how we do! That's how we do!"

"Nice shot," Lucas said walking up to Sydney. "But it's not going to happen again."

Sydney grinned. "That's what you think."

They then continued their game. This was where everything seemed right with the world. Only, no one was fully aware that something monumental was about to rock their worlds and threaten the very thing they had always found comfort and safety in.


	3. Head Games

Sydney sat in the library at a table with Lucas during study hall. She tapped her pencil against her notebook paper trying to distract herself from the fact that Lucas was stalking Peyton Sawyer at the next table, despite the fact that the girl was sitting at a table with her boyfriend. It was all so damn complicated and Sydney knew that she didn't quite factor into the equation. So, she tried to focus on math. Math didn't give a damn who she had a crush on nor the fact that he didn't see her like that.

As she wrote down the answer to number three on her paper, she could still see Lucas watching Peyton with her peripheral vision. Nope, she couldn't keep doing this. Sydney elbowed Luke in the ribs. "Hey," he hissed before knocking her elbow away with his. His brow furrowed at he looked at her "What was that for?"

"You were drooling," Sydney commented with a nod toward Peyton. "You need to get your work done so we have enough time for a decent game tonight." There was no way that she was going to tell Luke to stop watching Peyton because it bothered her.

Lucas raised an eyebrow at her before he shook his head and went back to reading his book. It wasn't homework, but it was better than him creeping on Peyton Sawyer. Sydney slipped the eraser end of the pencil into her mouth and chewed. It was a bad habit and she knew it, but half the time she didn't even realize that she did it.

A few minutes later, Sydney sat up straight and cracked her neck. She caught sight of Coach Durham walking into the library. Sydney didn't really think anything of it because most of his team, at least what was left of it, was in the library for study hall. But then he looked in their general direction, "Scott!" he called.

Nathan's head immediately popped up and responded, "What's up, coach?"

Coach Durham shook his head. "Not you," he said before pointing at Lucas. "You."

Sydney looked at Lucas with a similar reaction to the one on his face. Shock. "What does he want?" she whispered to Lucas. Lucas looked at Sydney and shrugged. "You should probably go," Sydney whispered.

Rather reluctantly, Lucas stood up and shoved his paperback book in his back pocket. He stuck his hands in his front jeans pockets and awkwardly shuffled toward Coach Durham. Coach Durham then turned back toward Nathan, "But you," he said pointing at him. "Read a book or something."

Sydney couldn't help but snicker. Nathan turned and narrowed his eyes at her as Lucas and Coach Durham left the library. Sydney just rolled her eyes before she returned her attention to her math assignment. Absently, her pencil made its way to her mouth again as she concentrated on her math.

"You're not supposed to put those in your mouth, you know." Sydney's head popped up and she accidentally shoved the pencil against the roof of her mouth when she saw that Jake Jagielski was standing in front of her. He smiled. "See?"

Sydney cleared her throat before responding, "That wouldn't have happened if you wouldn't have scared me."

He chuckled and put his hands up in defense. "Fair enough."

"What do you want?"

"I was hoping you'd be gracious enough to let me sit at your table." Jake flashed her a grin. "I promise I won't bother you again. You can even pretend that I don't exist."

Sydney raised an eyebrow at him and nodded toward the table with Nathan, Tim, and Peyton. "Aren't they more your crowd?"

Jake shook his head. "I'm just going to ignore the fact that you assume just because I'm on the basketball team I'm automatically one of them. Instead, I'll argue that I can get more homework done over here. Please? I'm not going to have time to do it tonight."

"Hot date on a school night?"

"Something like that."

The James girl looked behind Jake to find Tim Smith watching them. Tim slapped Nathan's arm and then they had Nathan's attention. Sydney put the end of her pencil back in her mouth and looked back at Jake. "Fine. But just so you know, I'm doing it to piss Nathan off. Nothing more."

Jake looked over his shoulder and saw Nathan and Tim. He turned back around and put his hands together like he was praying. He then bowed toward Sydney before he sat down at the table with her. Sydney and Jake worked in silence until the bell rang. Without saying anything, Sydney left the library and headed for the library to hopefully meet up with Lucas to find out what Coach Durham wanted with him.

Sydney rationalized that the two most likely places for Lucas to go with Coach Durham were the gym and the boys' locker room. She was almost to the gym when she found Lucas outside in the parking lot kicking a rock. "Luke," Sydney called. But he must not have heard her because he just continued to kick that damn rock.

The warning bell rang. Sydney figured she could talk to him later. She really needed to get to history class. So, she turned on her heel and power walked to her next class. She had just made it through the door before the final bell rang. Mrs. Bloom looked at Sydney and shook her head, "Have a seat, Miss James."

Sydney nodded her head and took her seat beside Mouth. "Hey," she said in a whisper. She dropped her backpack to the floor and pulled out her history textbook, a notebook, and a pen.

"Hey, Syd," Mouth said nodding his head and tapping his pencil against his history book. "What's new?"

Sydney shuffled the items on her desk before she answered. "With me? Absolutely nothing. Lucas, on the other hand, I think he is going to have something to tell us."

Mouth's brow furrowed as he looked at Sydney curiously. "Really? Why?"

Sydney looked around to make sure no one was listening to their conversation before she leaned across the aisle and whispered, "Coach Durham pulled him out of study hall."

"For what?"

"I don't know, but there has to be a reason."

Mouth pondered Sydney's words for a moment. "Do you think he asked Luke to play?"

Sydney shrugged. "Maybe."

"Miss James, Mr. McFadden is there something you'd like to share with the class?" Mrs. Bloom asked from the front of the room as she leaned against her podium staring at Sydney and Mouth. Mouth's face blushed bright pink and Sydney grinned sheepishly. "Unless it's something that you think would be pertinent to a class discussion, I suggest you wait until after class to continue your conversation."

Both Sydney and Mouth nodded their head. Sydney looked at mouth apologetically and mouthed the word sorry to him. He just nodded his head and then turned to face the front so he could focus on Mrs. Bloom's lecture. But Sydney couldn't focus on the lecture. She was sure it was really good. Mrs. Bloom had a way of making history interesting and relatable, but Sydney's thoughts were already preoccupied.

In her peripheral vision, she noticed that everyone else was opening their history textbooks, so she cracked hers open as well. Sydney looked over at Mouth's book to see that he was back in one of the appendixes, so she flipped hers to the back as well. She pretended to scan the page for something, but then she found something that caught her eye.

No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

Sydney absently brought her pen to her mouth and began to chew as she pondered the words of Title IX. Did they apply to her and her situation? And what would it mean if her rights were being violated? Would it mean money or even a chance to play?

"Miss James. Earth to Miss James," Mrs. Bloom called and the other kids laughed. Sydney blinked several times and looked at her teacher innocently. "You need to pay attention. All of you need to pay attention to history otherwise…" Mrs. Bloom looked at Sydney.

"We're doomed to repeat it," Sydney answered as she tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

Mrs. Bloom smiled. "Exactly! Now, don't repeat the cycle of someone not paying attention in history. Break the cycle." Sydney smiled softly and nodded her head. Her thoughts were just going to have to wait for later.

At the end of the day, Sydney walked to her locker, hoping to find Lucas waiting for her. Instead, she found her sister, Haley. "Hey, Syd," Haley said from the other side of her locker.

"Hey, Hales," Sydney responded with a sigh as she opened her locker.

Haley poked her head around her locker door and looked at her little sister. "Your day was that bad, huh?"

Sydney shook her head. "It was more exhausting that bad."

"Ah, one of those days. If it helps, I don't have to tutor today. We can head to Karen's and I can wait on you, hand and foot." Haley bowed toward her sister which made Sydney laugh.

"Sure, the one time you offer I already have plans down at the Rivercourt."

Haley slammed her locker shut and then leaned against it. "Is your homework done?"

"No, Mom, it's not. But I'll do it tonight. So don't give me the procrastination and time management spiel again, Hales. I'm such a good time manager that I know exactly how much time I can devote to procrastinating."

Haley rolled her eyes as Sydney slammer her locker shut. She then looped her arm through her younger sister's arm and they headed out of school. They were about halfway across the parking lot when a blue Volkswagen Beetle almost hit them. The person driving slammed on their breaks and lay on the horn until Sydney and Haley moved. "Can you two walk any slower?" Brooke Davis called from inside.

"Yes!" Sydney called back and Haley elbowed her.

"Don't egg her on," Haley groaned as she pulled her sister. Brooke Davis' tires squealed as she took off again. The older James girl looked at her sister. "I would prefer to keep my anonymity intact when it comes to Brooke Davis."

Sydney took the ponytail holder off her wrist and put her hair up in a ponytail. "Well, I'm tired of letting people like her and Nathan Scott walk all over people like us. Don't get me wrong, I'm not like Ariel wanting to be part of their world, but a little decency would be nice."

"Yeah, I guess," Haley responded. She then wrapped her arm through her sister's again before the two of them began to hum Part of Your World from The Little Mermaid as they walked.

Sydney walked Haley to Karen's Cafe before she headed down to the Rivercourt. Lucas was shooting free throws with Skills and Fergie walked off the court. Junk wasn't able to join them because he had to work, but Fergie and Skills had been up for a pick-up game earlier. They waved at her as they walked away. Sydney was definitely confused. Something was up. She walked over to Lucas and stole the ball he had just shot.

"What's that about?" Sydney asked, protecting the ball to keep him from stealing it.

"Nothing, I don't wanna talk about it," Lucas grunted.

Sydney raised an eyebrow. "Someone's grumpy." Lucas stared at her pointedly with his arms folded across his chest. "Tell you what. Let's play a game. For every shot I make, you have to answer one of my questions."

"And for every shot I make?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Dunno hadn't thought that far."

"How about we just play?"

"And then we can talk?"

Lucas groaned. "I'm not getting out of talking, am I?"

Sydney chuckled and shook her head. "Nope. I know where you live and I know where you keep the key for the outside door to your bedroom. You can run, but you can't hide."

Lucas chuckled and shook his head. "You know, you'd probably scare most people away with a line like that."

"And yet, here you are. You're not running. Part of my charm." She smiled and then shot the ball. Swish. It went in. She pointed to herself and said, "Point."

Lucas shook his head and took the ball. He jogged up to half court where Sydney was waiting for him. He faked right and went left before putting up one of his signature fadeaway shots. Lucas smiled and pointed at Sydney. "Point," he said.

The game went on for some time between Sydney and Lucas. It was practically a back and forth game, but Lucas eventually managed to pull one shot ahead of her. He won the game, but both teenagers had to play hard. Lucas didn't go easy on Sydney because she was a girl. He had learned better than to do that a long time ago. He smiled at the thought of the first and only time Sydney knew he had let her win on purpose. She had been furious and told him to never do it again. She hadn't wanted special privileges and Lucas admired her for that.

Sydney and Lucas moved to sit at a picnic bench to watch the sunset over the river and rehydrate. They sat there for several minutes in silence before Sydney dared broach the subject. "What did Whitey want?" she asked.

Lucas stared at the river for a few moments before he looked at Sydney and responded, "He asked me to play for him."

"Really? That's awesome, Luke," Sydney said with a smile, but Lucas just shook his head. Her brow furrowed and then she asked, "It's not awesome?"

"I'm not playing with them. I'm not gonna do it."

"But why?"

"Don't you ever just feel like we belong here? At the Rivercourt. You, me, Skills, Fergie, Junk, Mouth, Jimmy...it just seems right, you know?"

Sydney looked out at the river and sighed. "I guess, but you of all people know how badly I've wanted to play on an organized team. And then to have that opportunity drop in your lap and not at least try, it's a damn shame."

Lucas shook his head. "You sound like Skills. He said that you guys were my excuse."

"Maybe he's right." Sydney paused for a moment before continuing. "Unless there's something else that's holding you back."

"Like?"

"Your mom." Lucas looked at Sydney with a look of shock on his face which made her laugh. "Don't be so surprised. I know you better than you think. You don't want to make things awkward for her. Things are finally going good for her PD Post-Dan and you don't want to mess with that just to play basketball."

Lucas chuckled and shook his head. "What are you, my shrink?"

"Yup, I charge five cents and I pull the football away before you go to kick it. That's me." Lucas chuckled at her Peanuts reference. "Not that my opinion matters much, but I think you should talk it over with your mom before you decide anything. She might be cool with it which might change your mind about things. Just saying."

"Yeah, I can respect that," Lucas said with a sigh he looked at the watch on his wrist and then at Sydney. "Ma and Hales won't be done for another 30 minutes. You wanna shoot around for a bit?"

Sydney smiled. "Anything to procrastinate my homework."

Lucas and Sydney shot around for a while when suddenly the headlights of a vehicle blinded them. Lucas made his last shot before they both shielded their eyes until the lights finally shut off. People exited the vehicle, but neither Syd nor Luke could make out who they were. At least not until one of the people approaching started clapping. It was then that the warmup suit with the Michael Jordan logo became visible. It was Nathan Scott and he had dragged Tim Smith along with him.

"Nice shot," Nathan mocked, still clapping. "Think you can hit that with a double team, down by 2, packed house telling you, you suck? How about just two people telling you, you suck?"

Sydney defensively stepped in front of Lucas, placing herself between Nathan and Lucas. "Aww, isn't that cute," Tim mocked. "Do you see that Nate? She's…"

"I can see Tim," Nathan groaned.

Lucas rested his hands on Sydney's shoulders and gently pushed her aside. She now stood beside him, but he kept his right hand on her arm. Sydney wasn't sure if it was because he wanted to protect her or because he was keeping her from going after Nathan, but his touch made shivers go up her arm. "What do you want?" Lucas asked.

Nathan shook his head as he walked onto the court and began to circle Lucas and Sydney. "What do I want? What do you want, man? I mean, other than my girlfriend and my spot in the lineup, huh? None of us want you on the team, man. I don't want you. The guys don't want you. My girlfriend sure as hell doesn't want you. -but here's the deal. -You and me, one on one. You can name the time and place. If you win, I'll quit the team. If I win, you crawl back in your little hole and you remember your place in all this. Time and place, baby. Time and place."

With that Nathan took the forgotten basketball and took a shot. Swish. He made it. He then smirked at Lucas before he walked away with Tim and drove away. Lucas and Sydney stood there for a moment just staring blankly at the place where the vehicle had been. "That really happened, right?" Sydney asked.

Lucas nodded his head and responded, "Yeah, I think it did…"


	4. A Change Is Gonna Come

Sydney awoke before her alarm clock. Last night felt almost like a dream. Nathan had challenged Lucas. While it seemed completely ridiculous, she was pretty sure it had actually happened. Or at least she was pretty sure it happened. Slowly, Sydney sat up in bed and glanced at the wall across from her. Two college pennants hung on that wall. A UConn pennant and a Notre Dame pennant. Those were her two dream colleges. Two colleges that had great women's basketball programs. Two colleges that she would likely never get into. But she could still dream, right?

Leaving her bed unmade, Sydney dressed for the day. She pulled on a pair of jeans, t-shirt, and an oversized flannel shirt before shoving a pair of athletic shorts in her backpack to change into after school. Sydney then flopped back onto her bed so that her head hung over the edge. It was the only way she could manage to French braid her own hair. After messing it up the first time, she managed to get it the second attempt.

There was a knock at the door. "Syd, we gotta go so we're not late," Haley said from the other side of the door.

Sydney shook her head. "You mean, we gotta go so we can be forty-five minutes early."

"Well, it's gonna take some time to get to Karen's to meet up with Luke. Whom I assume you'd like to see." Haley paused for a moment before she continued, "Unless of course, you're over him."

The younger James girl flung the door open and looked at her sister with a less-than-amused expression on her face and a hand on her hip. "I knew I never should've told you about that."

Haley folded her arms across her chest. Honey, you didn't have to tell me. I figured it out well before you told me." Sydney rolled her eyes at Haley and Haley just smiled. "So, are you coming or not?"

"What do you think?" Sydney muttered as she pushed past her sister. Haley chuckled as she followed her sister downstairs. The younger sister purposely jumped the last two steps and landed perfectly before she reached for her backpack. She glanced back at her sister. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. Nathan challenged Lucas last night."

Haley stopped in her track on the stairs. "He...wait...what?"

"Nathan challenged Lucas," Sydney restated with her hands on her hips.

Haley shook her head. "And you wait until now to tell me?"

Sydney shrugged. "You were asleep when I got home. Besides, I was kinda busy getting a lecture from the parentals about coming in an hour past curfew."

The older James sister glanced at the younger one for a moment before she sighed and nodded her head. "How long you grounded for?"

Sydney opened the door and glanced back at her sister. "I'm not. I'm on probation, my curfew is now half an hour earlier and if I'm not home by then, then I'm in big trouble. I have to say, I'm fairly surprised. I think I've only been grounded once and that was because I kicked Tim Smith where the sun don't shine for trying to pants me in eighth-grade flag football. And even then, I'm pretty sure they just did it because Taylor was still around and to be fair."

Haley nodded her head. "Yeah, you and I combined are nothing compared to Hurricane Taylor." Haley then pushed her sister out the door and the girls walked down the sidewalk in silence for a few minutes.

Sydney adjusted her backpack. "Hey, Hales, have you heard of Title IX?"

Haley glanced at her sister who kicked a rock into the street. "Yeah. Why?"

"Do you think it applies to someone like me?"

"Yeah, I suppose it would. Why are you wondering?"

"I've just been thinking, that's all. It's nothing really. Just forget I even said anything." Sydney pushed a stray tendril of hair that had fallen from her braid out of her face as Haley watched her sister curiously. Haley knew her sister well enough to know that it wasn't just nothing. But she also didn't want to push her sister either. So, she said nothing.

Lucas was leaning against the building outside Karen's Cafe waiting for the James sisters. He shoved the novel he had been reading in his back pocket before he took a few steps to join up with them. He then reached into his backpack and took out a white paper sack. "Ma sent these along." Lucas handed the bag over to Sydney who eagerly snatched it from him.

Sydney opened the bag and sniffed. "Fresh donuts. God, I love your mother."

"I'll be sure to tell her," Lucas chuckled as he glanced over at Sydney. "I think she even got you a sour-cream donut."

Sydney squealed with delight as she reached into the bag and pulled out the sour-cream donut. She took a bite and groaned. Karen's sour-cream donuts were her favorite, but then again any donuts from Karen were delectable. Haley reached over and snatched the bag from her sister. "So, Syd said Nathan challenged you," Haley said before licking the frosting off her long john. "Are you gonna play him?"

Lucas sighed. "I don't know. I mean, it's not like I have anything to prove."

Sydney took another bite of her donut. "Maybe not, but I do think Nathan Scott deserves to get his ass kicked. And who better than to do it, but you," the younger James added. Lucas slightly chuckled and shook his head. "I'm serious. Someone needs to bring that kid down a peg or two."

"That may be, but Luke, don't you ever just wanna show him sometimes?" Haley asked.

He shoved his hands in his jeans pockets, pondering Haley's question for a moment. "Yeah, I guess. You know to show him what a mistake he's made," Lucas said rather somberly with a serious expression on his face. "Mostly for my mom...and...sometimes for me."

"Yeah, I get that," Sydney responded. "But seriously, Nathan Scott getting his ass kicked by you would seriously make my day. Hell, it would make my year...my whole existence."

Haley's brow furrowed "You really think it's a good idea?"

"Yeah, but it really doesn't matter what I think. Does it?" Sydney glanced over at Lucas who remained rather silent on the subject. "I meant you, you know."

"Yeah, I got that, Syd," Lucas said shaking his head. He shifted his backpack from one shoulder to the other.

"Just sayin'." Sydney took another bite from her donut.

When they arrived at school, Sydney headed for her locker to empty her heavy backpack. Why was it that every teacher seemed to assign large amounts of homework at the same time? It sucked. The strip of photos taped to the inside of her locker door caught Sydney's eye. The photos were of her and Lucas goofing around in the photo booth while they waited for Haley while she geeked out over school supply shopping. Sydney softly smiled. Of course, those weren't the only photos in her locker. She didn't want Lucas catching on that she had a crush on him. So, of course, there was also a photography of Sydney with her sisters, one with her entire family, and then one with Sydney and the Rivercourt boys.

As she pulled her backpack from her shoulders, her locker door slammed shut. She was startled to see Nathan Scott and Tim Smith standing in front of her, but she tried to play things off cooly. Sydney rolled her eyes. "What do you want?" she groaned.

"I think you know," Nathan said rather smoothly.

Sydney eyed the situation for a moment. She knew she was screwed, so she might as well go for it. Feeling braver than she actually was, she dug in her bag and pulled out something wrapped in plastic. She tossed it at Nathan. "You know, those things are like a quarter in the bathrooms," Sydney retorted. It was then that Nathan realized she had tossed him a tampon and he quickly dropped it to the floor. "If you don't want it, I'm keeping it. The cheap applicators suck."

Nathan looked about ready to smack her down when someone else joined the scene. It was Jake Jagielski. "What's going on guys?" Jake asked as he adjusted his backpack.

"Just be on your merry merry way, Jagielski and leave Nathan and I do some crack-a-lackin'," Tim Smith said getting somewhat in Jake's face. Nathan rolled his eyes at Tim and pulled him back by the strap of his backpack.

"Just tell him to walk away, Tim," Nathan groaned before he glanced at Jake. "Walk away, Jagielski. This isn't any of your business."

Jake shook his head. "You're in front of my locker. So by you blocking my locker, you kinda made it my business.."

Nathan stood a little taller and took a step closer toward Jake, shoving Sydney against her locker. "Why do you care?"

"Code of the locker buddies," Jake said nodding his head, gently nudging Nathan away from Sydney. He then cocked his head and continued. "Besides, you should really get to class. If I recall correctly, Whitey threatened you with suicides until you puke if you were tardy again this week

Nathan looked at Jake rather incredulously before he rolled his eyes and walked away with Tim. Jake and Sydney watched them walk away for a moment but then returned to their own business. "Thanks for that," Sydney said as she opened her locker again.

"I take the code of locker buddies pretty seriously, in case you couldn't tell," Jake retorted from behind his locker door.

"Well, I appreciate you doing that. Most guys would forget the code if it meant dealing with Nathan like that."

Jake glanced down at the floor at the tampon and shook his head. "Word of advice, when dealing with Nathan, you gotta pick your battles. If you pick every single one, you're stooping to his level of pettiness. You're better than that."

Sydney leaned back and looked at Jake with a cocked eyebrow. "Who says I'm better than that? I think I can count on my fingers the number of times we've ever conversed."

Jake leaned back and looked at Sydney. He shrugged. "Call it a gut feeling." With that he closed his locker door and walked away. Sydney sheepishly picked up the tampon that lay on the floor in front of Jake's locker before she shut her own and headed for her first-period class.

Later that day during study hall, Sydney sat in front of a computer. She had a Wikipedia article on Title IX pulled up. She knew Wikipedia wasn't the best resource for all information, but it was a starting place. She scrolled past the court cases and drummed her fingers against the table top. Sydney had just clicked on a link to one of the cases when Lucas sat down at the computer beside her. "Whatcha lookin' at?" Lucas asked.

"Nothing," Sydney said quickly minimizing her browser and then innocently glancing over at her friend. She batted her lashes and bit her bottom lip.

"You do realize I've known you long enough to tell when you're lying. You have a tell."

Somewhat shocked, she immediately retorted. "I do not."

"Do too."

"What is it?"

Lucas smiled. "Not telling because then you'd try and change it."

Sydney rolled her eyes as Lucas leaned toward her. He placed his hand on top of hers which rested on the mouse before he pushed her hand down to maximize the browser. Sydney was took distracted by his closeness and his scent to fight him. Instead, she just sat there as his chin nearly rested on her shoulder and his hand on her hand. She just hoped he didn't see the blush creeping up her neck onto her cheeks.

Lucas squinted his eyes as the computer screen. His breath tickled against Sydney's skin due to his close proximity but he continued to look at what Sydney had been searching. "What's this for? We're not this far in class yet, so don't try that excuse."

Sydney rolled her eyes. Sometimes it was cute and sweet that he knew almost everything about her, but other times it was damn annoying. Lucas glanced at her face and she knew he wouldn't stop until she answered. She pulled her hand away from underneath his to pull a stray tendril of hair from her face. "I want to play, Luke. I want to play for real."

"How are you gonna do that?"

Sydney propped her elbows on the tabletop and rested her head on her hands. She sighed. "Honestly, I don't know. Coach Lemmons told me to take it up with a higher authority, not Jesus FYI, and this seems to be my way to do that."

Lucas scrolled a little more and then glanced at Sydney in concern. "Wouldn't it mean playing with the boys? Like Nathan. You'd really want to do that?"

"Luke, I've been holding my own every night down on the Rivercourt for years. Playing with the boys doesn't scare me. Now Nathan on the other hand...if I had some backup on the team, that'd be nice and maybe he wouldn't be so scary." She glanced over at Lucas and he chuckled a little.

"Is that why you want me to join the team? To be your backup?"

"It might be an ulterior motive, but I really do think you should play. I think we both should play. It's my only way into college and I know you know that getting a scholarship would help you and your mom out financially with paying for school."

Lucas shook his head and sighed before he looked Sydney right in the eyes. "You seem to have it all figured out. When did you have time to do that?"

Sydney blushed before she quietly answered, "Last night."

That made Lucas chuckle. "Of course you did."

The bell rang and Sydney quickly logged-off her computer and gathered her things before she walked with Lucas to class.

That night, Sydney sat at the kitchen counter working on her homework while her parents sat in the nearby living room watching TV. She had made sure to show up at home before her curfew, but she would much rather be down at the Rivercourt playing basketball with the guys. Sydney took a sip of water when her parents' laughter echoed from the other room. "Can you guys keep it down? Some of us have homework."

"Some of us got our homework done already!" her father called from the living room.

Sydney rolled her eyes. "Yeah, like a hundred years ago."

"Hey!" Jimmy James paused for a moment before he continued. "It was actually one hundred and one years ago. If you're gonna call me old at least get your numbers right!"

Sydney got up and walked to the living room, her bare feet padding against the hardwood floor. "Ha. Ha. You're hilarious," Sydney scoffed as she approached her parents. From behind the couch, she leaned forward and draped an arm over each one of them. She looked between her parents. "You two behaving yourselves?" she asked.

Lydia James looked back at her daughter and then to her husband with a coy grin on her face. "I don't know. Jimmy, are we behaving ourselves?"

"Depends. Are you doing your homework in the next room, Syd?" Jimmy asked.

Sydney rolled her eyes. "You know that I am."

"Then, of course, we're behaving. Now, if you'd only do your homework on that desk we bought you in your room...then we'd be able to misbehave." He leaned across and gently pecked his wife's lips causing his youngest daughter to look away with a look of disgust on her face.

"Blech-I swear you two as bad as the kids at school." Her parents both chuckled and Sydney turned and faced them once again. "But about the desk thing, you know that doing homework gives me the munchies. Doing homework is a much more efficient use of my time because it cuts down on the time I'd be spending walking from my room down to the kitchen and back. So really, it's quite ingenious of me."

"Look at that, our ingenious daughter," Lydia said with a soft smile. "If only she devoted as much time to actually doing the homework than figuring out what she's going to eat while she's doing it."

"Hey!" Sydney groaned.

"Or playing basketball," Jimmy added.

"Or crushing on Lucas," Lydia contributed.

"Guuuyyys," Sydney groaned in exasperation, her face practically bright red. "Does everyone know about that?" Her parents looked at each other and they both nodded their heads. This caused Sydney to groan again before she rested her forehead on her mother's shoulder. Lydia chuckled and reached up and gently patted her youngest daughter's head.

"You know we love you, Syd," Jimmy said gently to his daughter.

Sydney sighed. "I know," she mumbled still resting against her mother's shoulder. "You two are just embarrassing sometimes."

Jimmy looked at his wife and smiled before he responded, "That's part of the job kiddo. If you read the fine print on your birth certificate it says we're allowed to embarrass you for the rest of your life."

Sydney shook her head for a moment before she slowly lifted it. Her mother patted her cheek. "What's new, Syd?" Lydia asked her daughter.

The youngest James daughter looked between her parents for a moment before she spoke. "There actually is something I wanted to talk to you both about…" Just then, Sydney's phone began to ring. "Hold that thought." Sydney ran back to the kitchen where her phone sat on the counter. She looked down so see that the call was coming from Lucas. She softly smiled before she picked up her phone.

"Hey, Luke," Sydney answered loud enough for her parents to hear. She made sure to cover her other ear with her hand so that she couldn't hear their response.

"I did it," Lucas said.

Sydney's brow furrowed. "Did what? I mean, there are a bunch of things you could have possibly done and I'd just prefer some clarification."

"Nathan. I agreed to challenge Nathan."

"Whoa, that's big," Sydney said before she sat down on the stool. "I didn't think you were actually gonna do it, to be honest."

"Me either, but something snapped and I did it."

"So, when is this whole thing going down?"

"Tomorrow night at the Rivercourt. Midnight. You gonna be there?"

"You know I wouldn't miss it."

The night of the showdown had finally come. Sydney sat anxiously on the picnic table with Mouth and Jimmy who were already recording their broadcast while Lucas practiced shooting. Her feet nervously tapped against the ground. She was nervous for him. Although if she was honest, she was partly nervous for herself because if Lucas lost she wasn't entirely sure about her plan. She wasn't sure she'd have the guts to attempt to join the team without Lucas on it. Not because of her crush or anything, but simply because she knew she was going to need someone. But she felt bad about having even told him about it. She felt like she had swayed his decision and pressured him. She felt guilty. Sydney tried to force those thoughts from her head. Tonight was about Lucas...not her.

So, Syd trotted out onto the court and rebounded the ball Lucas had just shot. "You nervous?" she asked as she passed the ball to him.

"A little," Lucas responded, passing the ball back "But I more or less just want to get it over."

Sydney smiled and then started to dribble the ball. "Nathan's good, you know that. He plays aggressive, but aggressive doesn't mean smart. He's gonna be in your face, so you're gonna want to put some space between you when you have the ball."

Lucas smiled. "The fadeaway," he said.

She nodded her head. "Someone like Nathan is gonna expect you to push through and drive toward the hoop...because that's what he'd do. But don't use it too many times otherwise he's gonna figure out your next move before you do."

"Syd, I know," Lucas said resting a hand on Sydney's shoulder, but she refused to look at him. With his other hand, he tilted her chin up so that their eyes met. "I'll be fine. I promise."

Sydney slightly frowned. "I just feel like I pressured you into this."

"If it makes you feel better, you weren't the straw that broke the camel's proverbial back." He smiled at her. "But once I'm on the team, I will do everything I can to fight like hell for you."

That made Sydney's heart melt. "I don't deserve you," she said, her eyes beginning to tear up.

He smiled and said, "Hey, there's no crying in basketball."

Sydney let out a chuckle and sniffed back her emotions. "I'm pretty sure it's baseball, Lucas. There's no crying in baseball."

"I think Tom Hanks will forgive me," Lucas smirked which made Sydney chuckle again. She nodded her head. "I think I'm gonna keep warming about. That okay with you, coach?"

Sydney rolled her eyes before she gave Lucas a playful push and walked back to the picnic table with Mouth and Jimmy. She had sat down no more than a few seconds when Jimmy shoved the microphone in front of her. "Syd, you have any predictions about tonight's match up?" he asked.

"Yeah, I think Lucas is gonna kick Nathan's ass."

And sure enough-he did. Lucas kicked Nathan's ass...and Tree Hill would never be the same.


End file.
